How to get ready for a year abroad in less than 10 days and other thoughts.

I’m so glad to be blogging this year! My name is Inès and I’m a nineteen-year-old French student. My home institution is the university of Grenoble Alpes where I’ve been studying English language and literature for two years. I’ll be in Edinburgh from September to May thanks to the exciting yet intimidating Erasmus exchange programme. For the majority of European students today, ‘Erasmus’ evokes countless popular tales about year-long parties rather than thoughts of a Renaissance philosopher. Sometimes it sounds as if there were a common and ultimate Erasmus experience that had to be lived a certain way, and this seems scary to my introverted brain. What I’m going to do on the blog this year is relate a personal experience which, I hope, will reassure the introverts out there who might hesitate to take part in such an adventure. Because honestly guys, if I can do this, all of you can!

This is how I imagine the upcoming year

What has made the anticipation preceding the departure date even greater is that I came back from San Francisco a week ago, jet-lagged and not having seen my friends and family in a month. I’m leaving for Edinburgh tomorrow, which means I have had exactly eight days to deal with doctor appointments, bank, insurance and university paperwork, plus the most dreaded packing phase. All that while trying to enjoy some time with my family somewhere in the middle and bidding farewell to the sunny and warm weather of the lovely Alpine summer.

When people ask me how I feel:

Anyway, I know all this stress will be worth it when I’m in Edinburgh! I can’t wait to meet my flatmates, discover the city and start university. This is going to be a crazy year and I’m so lucky. Travelling always brings unexpected treasures! This summer I found myself couchsurfing alone in Yosemite and singing the gospel hand in hand with strangers in the church of a desolate San Francisco neighbourhood. So who knows in what ways the coming year will surprise me, and in what ways I’ll surprise myself, doing things I never thought I’d do. Stay with me here to follow my adventures!